The world of Tzu Chi June 2020 (Vol.123)

TZU CHI 123 39 Soon after the MCO was enforced, Laili bin Yusof, a businessman from Mersing, and several others started collecting data on destitute households and sought assistance from the Tzu Chi Kluang Liaison Office on their behalf. Local volunteers assessed the living conditions of the families and decided to extend relief to 95 households that have been deprived of their livelihoods. Three Tzu Chi Kluang volunteers managed to secure approval to travel to Mersing on the day prior to the beginning of the Ramadan fasting month and drove for over an hour to deliver relief supplies to the impoverished families. In addition, the volunteers collaborated with a wholesale trader who agreed to supply relief kits containing 16 types of food provisions to distribute the kits from his premises. Johor 2020.04.23 Reported and photograph by Ong Seng Yeow Since April 2020, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor has been working together with four local garment factories to manufacture protective clothing, hood covers and boot covers for frontline medical personnel, who are facing a shortage in the supply of protective gear. Two of the participating factories even offered to contribute free of charge. The organization also procured more than 5,000 sets of protective clothing from a China-based manufacturer in order to meet demand. Mohamad Rusidan, an administrative assistant at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, remarked, “I feel grateful and thankful for this donation that you are giving to Kuala Lumpur Hospital. We hope that this donation can help our frontliners so that we are able to overcome this difficult Covid-19 situation in an even better and efficient way.” As of early May 2020, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor has donated over 68,000 pieces of protective clothing, hood covers and boot covers to various hospitals. Keeping Frontline Medics Safe with Protective Gear KL & Selangor 2020.04–05 Compiled by Gan Chian Nee Photograph by Sam Pin Fook Ramadan Relief for Impoverished Households